Spells Trouble (Sisters of Salem #1) - P. C. Cast Page 0,79
that give us some time?”
“Only if you can keep all living beings from the gates.”
“You mean the creatures can take over a body that’s not human?” Mercy’s stomach felt sick. Again.
Khenti crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “As you saw when first we met, many of us who exist in other realms are not fully human. It would not be difficult for an escapee to kill and then wear the body of a bird or mouse—snake or dog—or perhaps even an insect.”
“Oh, shit. That’s so, so bad,” said Hunter.
Mercy thought she might puke. “Mr. Thompson—he was killed near the Greek tree.”
“But Mr. Parrott wasn’t,” said Hunter. Mercy thought she looked super pale.
“He wouldn’t have to be—not if whatever came out of that tree took someone else’s body and is a murderer walking around in a good guy skin suit.” Mercy met the Egyptian warrior’s flickering gaze. “We think something from the Greek Underworld is loose in our town, killing our people. Can you help us?”
His shoulders slumped and he shook his head slowly. “I cannot, though I wish I could. Were I to cross the barrier between our worlds I would have to take on the form of someone in your realm. I, too, would have to kill to remain.”
“We need to get to the Greek tree—and I mean really go to it this time.” Hunter spoke quickly, breathlessly. “We have to figure out if something came through that gate.”
“And if so, what,” added Mercy. “And then we need to find out whose skin suit it’s hiding in.”
“Go! I give you my oath to stand guard at Osiris’s gate. Nothing shall enter your world through here.” Even through the shimmering divide his strength and commitment heartened Mercy.
“Thank you,” Hunter said.
“I wish I could aid you more.”
“Actually, you’ve helped us a lot,” said Mercy.
Khenti smiled at her. He’s the most beautiful guy I’ve ever seen in my whole life. The thought came to Mercy unbidden and she instantly pushed it aside as she felt her cheeks blaze with heat. What in the bloody hell is wrong with me? Get it together, Mag! This isn’t a time-travel rom-com!
“That pleases me greatly.” Khenti lifted his hand, passing it before his face again, which instantly shifted back to a ferocious dragon. He lifted his spear and shield. “I shall remain by the gate. Call if you have need of me again, Witches.”
The air in front of him rippled, like heat rising from a boiling pot, and Khenti Amenti, Son of Upuant, Guardian of Osiris’s Realm, disappeared along with the bubble that had contained him.
“That was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Hunter.
“I wish Abigail could’ve been here. She would’ve loved every second of it,” Mercy said. “Well, except the whole creatures escaping and spreading death and destruction and chaos part.”
Hunter was already picking up the basket. “Do we leave or take the stang?”
“Leave it. It might still work, right? And let’s add our mistletoe crowns to the other one.” Mercy went to the stang and draped her circle of mistletoe over it. “How long did they say it would take for the insecticide to kill the worms?”
“A week to ten days,” said Hunter, mirroring her sister’s actions.
“We might get lucky. Even though Khenti didn’t see a change yet, it could still happen.” Mercy said the words, but they sounded hollow even to her own ears.
Hunter nodded grimly. “Yeah, I hope so. But right now we need to get to the Greek tree.”
As they hurried back to the car Mercy kept hearing the Egyptian warrior’s words playing around and around in her memory. The mortal’s skin becomes a living disguise … The mortal’s skin becomes a living disguise … The mortal’s skin becomes a living disguise …
Twenty-one
Petrichor, the earthy scent released when rain nourishes dry land, floated on the back of the cool breeze as Hunter parked the car on the gravel road near the olive tree. Hunter didn’t follow Mercy as her sister charged from their mother’s car into the tall grass, headed straight for the old tree. There was something in the breeze. Something more than the sweet smell. It was prickly and magical and it pulled her and her tarot in a different direction. Hunter kicked loose gravel as she walked along the side of the road, following her witchy senses.
Halfway to the tree, Mercy stopped. “H, where are you going?” she shouted, her hands in the air.
Hunter wanted to reply but thought better of it. The explanation would